A Guide To Breathing : The Diaphragm

  • Diaphragm Sustain & Catch Breaths
  • Belting & Range
  • Movement and Diction Agility

Genres

One of the most important muscles we use when singing is the diaphragm. The diaphragm is an involuntary muscle, this muscle is imperative for breathing.

Learning how to use your diaphragm can help improve sustain, catch breaths, belting, range, movement, and agility.

All of these qualities are seen in the music we listen to today. We can all learn how to use them differently, and eventually this will help promote our own unique sense of style.

Diaphragm Sustain & Catch Breaths

Genres

Sustain in music is when you hold a note. Vocally, your ability to hold a note will depend on the strength of your diaphragm.

The higher you are in your register the more strength you will need in your diaphragm. A catch breath is when you take a quick breath in between a line or verse.

Try to plan where you take your breaths to help with vocal consistency. If you notice that your voice is unable to sustain, first, start at a low pitch where you can find the note(you may also use a piano and a piano tuner to make sure you are on pitch).

Then, hum the note and try to keep it at the same pitch and volume. Next, move up in pitch one note at a time until you reach the highest note you can go.

You can start back at the beginning and do lah from your lowest to your highest. This helps build diaphragm strength.

Belting & Range

Genres

Think of what it feels like to yell, you project your volume and you feel your diaphragm tighten. Belting is when you sustain a note at high volume and power.

It’s important to hone your emotions as they affect your breathing. Learning how to control this can help you increase your vocal belting range.

In your voicercise kit, practice your Soft Palate exercises. This is important for working on sliding. Sing La and take your voice from a C#4 for males and a G#4 for females.

Make sure you are in your chest voice and push all the way down to your lower notes. Your range increases based on the control and strength your muscles have towards the high and low parts of your register.

Singing these notes everyday is what will familiarize your voice with finding the notes.

Movement & Diction Agility

Your movement is how well you can move within your range. In riffs and runs breathing is essential. Each pitch you sing uses a different vibration.

There are different amounts of air you use that increases the higher you go in your range. It may take some time to understand how this feels in your own voice.

Be patient in singing one note at a time, then work on your speed. Speed in movement always comes later, your brain must first recognize the notes before being able to sing them effortlessly without thinking.

Think of your agility as how fast you can sing, this includes how fast you take your breaths. Your tongue and lip muscles help with enunciation and your breathing helps you in finding the right pitch on the right words at the right time.

Mastering these skills doesn’t happen overnight, so consistency is key in your growth.

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